15 Ways To Make Your Groceries Last

Share

If you purchase your grocery in bulk, you are throwing away money down the drain, or at least in the garbage. Bulk purchase results in increased wastage of food as groceries tend to go bad before they can be consumed.

Here are 15 ways to make your groceries last longer each month:

1. Onions

Store your onions in a pantyhose. This will help keep the onions, fresh for as long as eight months. Just remember to tie a knot between each onion so that they don’t come in contact with one another inside the pantyhose.

2. Salad Greens

First spin the green in a salad spinner to remove excessive moisture, which is the main reason for wilting of the leaves. Then place a paper towel in a bowl. Place the greens on the paper towel and put another towel on the top. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and your salad greens should stay fresh for a few days.

3. Mushrooms

Never store your mushrooms in plastic as it traps moisture and causes the fungi to spoil quickly. Instead, place them in a paper bag and store in your refrigerator. Alternately, you can store the paper bag-filled mushrooms in a cool, dry place in your pantry.

4. Potatoes

Never store your potatoes with your onions. It will cause the spuds to spoil quicker. Look to keep apples with your potatoes as it will prevent them from sprouting.

5. Asparagus

Cut the bottom of the asparagus and then place them in a glass of water. Cover the glass with a plastic wrap or bag and store in the refrigerator. This will keep those delicious veggies, green and crisp.

6. Delicate Herbs

Just like asparagus, you can also store herbs like chives, basil and parsley in a glass of water. However, cut the ends before you place the herbs in water. If you want to herbs to stay fresh for a longer period of time, cover the top of the glass with a plastic bag.

7. Ginger

The aromatic ginger root stays fresh in the freezer. Don’t worry when you want to use it for cooking, just grate the frozen root with the peel and you will get the same effect as using fresh ginger.

8. Cheese

Cheese should be stored in the refrigerator, but this tends to dry out the cut part of the block. Most people discard this dried portion.

You can minimize wastage by rubbing the cut part of the cheese with some butter. This will prevent it from drying and will keep your cheese moist and fresh.

However, store the cheese in the warmest part of your fridge, ideally the compartment where you store veggies or in the cheese drawer, if your fridge has one.

9. Nuts

Nuts, when stored improperly, get rancid and sometimes develop mildew. You can keep your nuts fresh for a longer time by storing them in the freezer. Place the nuts into an airtight mason jar and then transfer the jar to the freezer.

10. Sliced Avocado

If you have cut your avocado to make guacamole, retain the pit. Place the avocado slices in a bowl, place the pit in the center and drizzle a little bit of olive oil so that all pieces are coated with oil. This will prevent the slices from turning brown.

11. Bananas

Never keep bananas with other fruits as banana give off a lot of ethylene gas. This gas hastens ripening. To keep your bananas, fresh for several days wrap the crown of the bunch with plastic wrap and keep in a fruit bowl.

12. Tomatoes

Always store tomatoes at room temperature, but keep them away from direct sunlight. Most people tend to place them in plastic bags. This hastens ripening, causing the tomatoes to spoil quicker. Place tomatoes in a tray, single file, making sure the stem side is facing up. This will keep them fresh and juicy.

13. Berries

Take 10 parts water and mix one part white or apple cider vinegar. Now swirl your berries in this solution. Don’t worry; the vinegar will not mar the taste of the berries. Instead, this solution will help to keep the berries, plump and juicy.

14. Rosemary and Sage

Take an ice cube tray and fill each slot with some olive oil. Then wash and chop sage and rosemary, and drop some into each slot. Place the tray into the freezer. When you want to use these herbs, just use as many cubes as you want to get instant oil that is infused with the goodness of sage and rosemary.

15. Milk

Most people tend to keep milk in the door of their refrigerator as it is easy to take the carton from there. However, the door of the fridge is subject to temperature fluctuation due to constant opening. This causes the milk to get spoiled really quickly. So, always place the milk in the middle shelf of the fridge so that the temperature is constant. This helps to keep the milk fresh for a longer period of time.

Non-Food Storage Tips

Make a few holes in plastic storage bags to prevent trapping moisture, as it causes veggies and fruits to spoil quicker

Use your freezer for long-term storage. A properly working freezer can keep most perishable items good for weeks if not months

Tidy and organize your refrigerator by storing expired food items at one side so that you can dispose them when you have time. It reduces clutter and also prevent mold from spreading to other foods

So go ahead and use these simple tips to keep your groceries, fresh for a longer period. Once you make this into a habit, you will enjoy fresher food and also end up saving a lot of money on your grocery purchase.